Storing, sending and receiving text message threads on a wireless communication device

Abstract

A mobile communication device uses a condensed text message store wherein individual messages of a thread are stored in such a manner that the thread can later be reconstructed for display. By storing individual messages rather than thread objects including duplicative content, device memory is conserved. Network bandwidth can also be preserved by sending only individual messages between the device and a central server (which server may also utilize a condensed message store).

1. A mobile communication device for sending, receiving and displaying text messages, each individual message associated with a thread of related messages between two or more parties, said mobile communication device comprising:
 a condensed message store for storing each individual message, and thread reference data to uniquely identify the thread and a sequence of the individual message within the thread; and 
 message display logic, functionally linked to said condensed message store, to sequentially link together and display each of the individual messages associated with the thread of related messages, which are currently stored in the condensed message store, in accordance with the thread reference data, and to automatically locate and sequentially link together for display all other messages in the thread when any one message of the thread other than a last incremental message in the thread is selected for display. 
 
     
     
       2. A mobile communication device as in  claim 1  wherein said thread reference data for each individual message identifies at least one of (a) thread membership and (b) message sequence within the thread. 
     
     
       3. A mobile communication device as in  claim 2  wherein said stored thread reference data for each individual message identifies both thread membership and message sequence within the thread. 
     
     
       4. A mobile communication device as in  claim 1  further comprising: message sending logic which, when sending a new message that is part of the thread, sends, at least initially, only that one new individual message together with thread reference data that identifies at least its thread membership. 
     
     
       5. A method for operating a mobile communication device for sending, receiving and displaying text messages, each individual message associated with a thread of related messages between two or more parties, said method comprising:
 maintaining, at the mobile communication device, a condensed message store for storing each individual message, and thread reference data to uniquely identify the thread and a sequence of the individual message within the thread; and 
 linking together for display each of the individual messages associated with the thread of related messages, which are currently stored in the condensed message store, in accordance with the thread reference data by automatically locating and sequentially linking together for display all other messages in the thread when any one message of the thread other than a last incremental message in the thread is selected for display. 
 
     
     
       6. A method as in  claim 5  wherein said thread reference data for each individual message identifies at least one of (a) thread membership and (b) message sequence within the thread. 
     
     
       7. A method as in  claim 6  wherein said stored thread reference data for each individual message identifies both thread membership and message sequence within the thread. 
     
     
       8. A method as in  claim 5  further comprising: when sending a new message that is part of the thread, at least initially only sending that one new individual message together with thread reference data that identifies at least its thread membership. 
     
     
       9. A non-transitory digital storage medium storing computer program code on a mobile communications device, which when executed, effects a method for operating a mobile communication device for sending, receiving and displaying text messages, each individual message associated with a thread of related messages between two or more parties, said method comprising:
 maintaining, at the mobile communications device, a condensed message store for storing each individual message, and thread reference data to uniquely identify the thread and a sequence of the individual message within the thread; and 
 linking together for display each of the individual messages associated with the thread of related messages, which are currently stored in the condensed message store, in accordance with the thread reference data by automatically locating and sequentially linking together for display all other messages in the thread when any one message of the thread other than a last incremental message in the thread is selected for display. 
 
     
     
       10. A non-transitory digital storage medium as in  claim 9  wherein said thread reference data for each individual message identifies at least one of a thread membership and a message sequence within the thread. 
     
     
       11. A non-transitory digital storage medium as in  claim 10  wherein said stored thread reference data for each individual message identifies both thread membership and message sequence within the thread. 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory digital storage medium as in  claim 9  further comprising:
 when sending a new message that is part of the thread, at least initially sending only that one new individual message together with thread reference data that identifies at least its thread membership.